The historic TT Circuit Assen will remain on the MotoGP calendar until 2031, hosting the GP of the Netherlands. The renewal for a five-year period was announced this Thursday. The contract that was in place was until 2026.
A cornerstone of the championship, Assen is the only circuit that has hosted the championship consistently since its inaugural season in 1949 – except in 2020 due to the pandemic. But the “Cathedral” has an even longer history, with the first TT dating back to 1925 – its centenary will be celebrated next year.
Dorna’s CEO, Carmelo Ezpeleta, highlighted Assen’s tradition, as well as the characteristics of the circuit itself as reasons for its continued presence on the calendar:
– We’re very happy to announce Assen’s long-term future on the calendar. It was part of the very first season of Grand Prix racing in 1949 and nowhere else has been with us across these 75 years of racing we celebrate in 2024. That’s unique, but we don’t return only for the history or statistics. Racing at Assen, even 100 years after the first races held in the area, is still something special and it only gets better. It’s a fantastic, modern venue that continues to gives us incredible races and iconic moments, and there is no better mixture than the world’s most exciting sport racing at one of its greatest venues.
From Assen’s side, the circuit’s president, Arjan Bos, commented: ‘We are incredibly pleased with this contract extension, especially now that MotoGP is developing strongly. It reaffirms the status of the TT Assen as a highlight on the MotoGP calendar. We are proud to continue building the future of motorsport together’.